


A Riddle

by oxforddrama



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Agender Character, Batman References, Bruce Wayne is Batman, Gotham City Police Department, Nonbinary Character, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 11:38:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13166145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oxforddrama/pseuds/oxforddrama
Summary: Natalia Coleman, double-amputee recruit of Gotham PD, companion to the Batfamily, works tirelessly to help keep Gotham's streets clean - mastered without cowl and from the inside-out. This time, they come face-to-face with the Riddler in another scheme.





	A Riddle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [editoress](https://archiveofourown.org/users/editoress/gifts).



> This is another OC insert into an AU. In this case, it is a character of mine, Natalia Coleman, inserted into the Batmanverse. Natalia is nonbinary, double-amputee. 
> 
> This is very short one shot. It was a quick drabble that I did for Liz on Tumblr. I thought I would move it here, because I did include the Caroline/PotO drabble here, as well.

Gotham. A city veiled in shadows. Natalia stood at their terrace, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The island was just waiting to sink beneath it. Natalia leaned heavily on the railing, releasing tension in their legs’ prostheses, breathing in deep. They weren’t particularly fond of the smell of Gotham, but they weren’t likely to get a moment to themselves again so soon. They were going to cherish what they could of these few moments alone From inside her phone could be heard ringing violently. Natalia rolled their eyes and walked back inside.

"Where are you?” a gruff voice asked from the other line.

“I’m at home, why?” Natalia replied.

“We need you at the precinct.”

“On it.”

Natalia hung up the phone on the dispatcher, calling out from Gotham PD, and got ready, slipping out of lounge wear and into their uniform: a black suit made of Cuben fiber that swathed them in a similar fashion to the original PD uniforms. But Natalia was more than just your typical patrolling officer of Gotham. Natalia was trained specifically by the Batman to take down the enemy from the inside - in a way he could never do with his cowl (or even with his money, depending on the level of the crook).

Natalia showed up to Gotham PD in their wheelchair, greeted by a few kind officers who held open doors for them on the way through. They always found the police department to be too decorated and uniquely historical from the outside to be a believable place of business with holding cells. Although Gotham did love its gargoyles, Natalia never understood why Gotham PD needed them. The iron fences, electroshock weaponry, electric walls and security cameras - that just made sense.

Something about Gotham always brought the villainy in droves. Natalia never blamed Batman. He was merely a byproduct of an already existing, festering tumor on the city. To say he wasn't inspirational would be a mistake, however.

The commissioner stood in a conference room, waiting for Natalia who rolled in behind him, giving him a start. "Jesus, officer!" he exclaimed then looked to them and smirked. "Getting around okay in that?"

"Very much so!" Natalia stated. "Thank you." They bowed their head and smiled, scooting into the conference table in the middle of the room. Commissioner Gordon found his own place at the table. "I was summoned?" Natalia asked.

Commissioner Gordon slid a media remote across the table to Natalia, gesturing to use it. Natalia pointed the remote towards the only screen in the room and powered it on. A building plastered in green paint lit up the room. "This," Gordon began, "is our current, most obstinate problem."

"Nigma again?"

"Yes."

"This looks like Mooney's Nightclub..." Natalia leaned out of their chair a little more.

"Yes. The Riddler isn't the first to inhabit the old nightclub, but he's done it the most securely."

"I suppose the last one was--"

"Cobblepot tried, after..." Gordon's voice trailed off. No one on the right side of Gotham enjoyed anyone parading themselves as crime lord kingpins, but it was often much worse when one of them dies or is murdered.

"What's Riddler's game?"

"His game is always us figuring it out."

"Fair enough."

A shadow entered behind them in the room. "Natalia and I can handle this," Batman said in a strong voice. Natalia and Gordon didn't flinch - they were used to the vigilante's magic acts. They just never knew when he was going to leave. Natalia swore that Bruce did it mid-sentence to her once. They never completely forgave him for that one. 

“I’ll go check it out now,” Natalia said, and reached into a compartment on their wheelchair. They pulled out two compact, black metallic rectangles - Wayne Industries funded, was the secret - and pressed a finger to the side signaling a hidden touch-panel. The two objects clicked and flipped open, turning into two high-tech prosthetic legs. 

The Commissioner stared at the new equipment in wonder. 

“How are you getting along with them?” the Batman asked. 

“Easy enough,” Natalia replied, securing them to their legs. “They fit like gloves. Still not sure how it’s made so I don’t need straps, but I’ll take the tech.” The legs clicked around their thighs with small pressure points, letting Natalia feel secure in letting them go. 

“I bet they’d make good equipment for the force,” Commissioner Gordon added, absentmindedly, while staring at the screen. “We could get some prototypes for folks we’ve had to force into retire--” 

Gone. Both this time. Commissioner Gordon sighed and turned off the monitor. 

Natalia sprinted towards the dock closest to GPD, a bit out of sight of most this time of night. Their prostheses’ retractable running blades were easy for quick moments where running might be necessary. Batman waited at the edge of the dock for them, cape snapping against the wind. A shadow cast down onto the waters below him. 

“Let me go,” he said, sternly. 

Natalia ignored the tone. “I’ve got this, you know that,” they replied. It wasn’t a plea; they had no reason to prove anything to Batman at this point. “Feel free to help through.” A smirk played on their lips as they headed out for the old nightclub. 

The walls of the nightclub were in fine shape, but everything else had been falling to pieces without Mooney and her money. 

Natalia stood outside of the building staring up at the half-hanging sign and the door that seemed stuck shut. Riddler left his mark all over the place in his usual gaudy green paint and fumes. A few lights hung from the top of the building, as if he were crudely decorating for Christmas. Batman hated Riddler; the two seemed to infuriate each other on a level Natalia hadn’t seen. Even with Joker, Batman seemed to find a peace with handling some of that clown’s worst. Almost missed him when he wasn’t around. Riddler was just petulant and made everything a game of challenges, dangling someone’s life in the balance. 

Natalia saw Batman lurking at the top of the building, likely inspecting it for skylights or anything to infiltrate it on a stealth level. Natalia appreciated stealth, but they also appreciated a blunt entrance more. The blades of the prostheses had been retracted, leaving the all-black legs with fitted combat boots in its place. With a swift kick, they broke open the door and felt the shock of the metal run up to their thigh - a feeling they hadn’t had fully since they had their legs when they were young. 

Riddler’s face was on screen beaming down at the first to enter; he looked proud of his work already. 

“Well, well, if it isn’t Nat!” 

“Natalia!” they barked back. “Your decorations could use a little work.” They walked further into the room, surveying the area for a clue of where Edward Nigma might be hiding. Batman crawled out of a vent, hiding in the corner shadows, searching for the same. 

Riddler shook his head. “Riddle me this: What do you call an amputee who can’t answer riddles?” 

Two tall men came running out of a side room, charging for Natalia. Batman took out one with a batarang. Natalia slid out of the way of the charging monstrosity before it headed back their way, turning wide as he did. Natalia raised a hand and threw themselves into a one-handed flip, flinging their body higher and towards the henchman. As they came down, they pushed a touch button, causing the running blade from their left leg to come out. As it did, the end of it stabbed through the henchman’s neck. 

The Batman groaned, his tolerance for Natalia’s brunt force wavering and changing with age. But he didn’t like the look of such close combat too often. 

With a loud, croaking yell from the man, he fell to the ground. Natalia pulled their leg out of the prosthetic, letting it sit in the target’s neck, blade still jutting out of his jugular. 

Natalia looked up to the screen, proud, and answered: “Stumped.”


End file.
